Embrace the Night

Page 95



With a curt nod, she stood up and walked swiftly toward the door, acutely aware that he was close behind her even though his footsteps made hardly a sound. Sometimes she had the feeling that he walked on air.

Outside, Gabriel took her arm, but instead of turning south, toward her apartment, he turned north, toward a small park. He could feel Sara's anger in her rigid posture, in the tension of her arm beneath his grasp. In all honesty, he couldn't blame her for being angry, and yet, even if he wanted to explain why they couldn't live together, what could he say?

Sorry, cara, I'm a vampire. In the three hundred and fifty years of my dark existence, I've trusted no one to know where I take my rest during the day. And you would not want to see me then, my body hard and unmoving, with the stillness of a sleep that is like death. You don't want to see me when I rise, when the hunger is upon me, when my eyes look like death and no mortal is safe in my presence…

They turned down a narrow path. Few people frequented this place after the sun went down, but Gabriel had no fear of the dark, or of mortal man.

The park was beautiful in the moonlight. A faint breeze whispered through the leaves, singing songs to the night. Drifting shadows played hide-and-seek with the light of the moon.

He sensed the man's presence as they drew near the small pond located at the far reaches of the park. "Your purse, monsieur," the man said. Moonlight glinted off the blade of the knife in his hand.
"I'm afraid my purse is empty," Gabriel said coolly.

The man's gaze moved over Gabriel in a long, assessing glance, noting the high quality of his clothing, his expensive leather boots, the fine wool of his cloak.

"I think not," the brigand said with a sneer. He made a threatening gesture with his knife. "Give it over, now."

"No."

The thief lunged forward, but before he could strike, Gabriel's hand closed over the man's forearm in a viselike grip.

Sara gasped at the look of horror that flickered in the man's eyes as Gabriel's hand inexorably tightened around his wrist and the knife fell from nerveless fingers.

She felt a rush of nausea at the sound of the bones being slowly, deliberately crushed. The blood drained from the man's face; a shrill scream of agony bubbled in his throat as tears welled in his eyes.

"Mercy, my lord," the man begged. "Please…"

"Gabriel, let him go!"

Gabriel's back was toward her, and she saw him stiffen at the sound of her voice, as if he had suddenly remembered she was there, watching.